Flash-lamp.



PATENTED JULY 14, 1903.

I No. 733,705.

A. DUTHIE.

FLASH LAMP.

APPLICATION FILED mm. a, 1902. RENEWED JUNE 6. 1903.

1 m MODEL.

v N E Archibald Duthie A TTOHNE) s WITNESSES UNITED STATES Patented July14, 1903.

PATENT OFFICE.

AROHIBALD DUTHIE, OF INDIANAPOLIS, INDIANA, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-HALF TO THEII. LIEBER COMPANY, OF INDIANAPOLIS, INDIANA, A OOPORA TION OF INDIANA.

FLASH-LAM P.

ZEEGIFLGATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 733,705, dated July 14,1903. Application filed February 8, 1902. Renewed June 6, 1903. SerialNo. 160,421. (No model.)

To whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, AROHIBALD DUTHIE, a citizen of the United States,residing at Indianapolis, in the county of Marion and State of Indiana,have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Flash Lamps, ofwhich the following is a specification.

My invention relates to an improvement in lamps for the production of aflash-light for photographic purposes.

The object of my invention is to produce a simple and efficient lampwhich may be operated from a distance, if desired, the ignition of thepowder being accomplished by the explosion of a fulminating-cap,preferably paper caps commonly used in toy pistols and the like.

The accompanying drawings illustrate my invention. I

Figure 1 is a perspective view of a desirable form of my inventionoperable from a distant point. Fig. 2 is an enlarged section detailthereof. Fig. 8 isa sectional detail of a modified form for use as ahand-lamp. Fig.

4 is a detail of the means for exploding the paper caps.

In the drawings, 5 indicates a straight tube, within which isreciprocably mounted a piston 6. Leading into the lower end of tube 0 5is a small tube 7, to which is attached a pipe or flexible hose 8,provided at its outer end with a bulb 9. The lower end of tube 5 isclosed by cap 10, to which is secured a tube or rod 11, which maytelescope within a tube 5 12. Tube 12 may telescope within the tubularportion 13 of a stand 14, which is preferably of the folding type. Theupper end of tube 5 is preferably removably screwed into a coupling 15,carried by the powder-pan o 16, which may assume any desired form. Formany reasons I prefer a troughlike pan, such as is shown in Fig. 1. Theinterior of coupling 15 forms a continuation of the bore of tube 5, andextending across said opening is a bar 17, sufficient space being leftbeneath the lower edge of said bar and the bottom of pan 16 to allow theinsertion of acap l8. In order to avoid all possibility of anyflashpowder getting down into the tube 5, it is desirable that thepiston 6 does not come into direct contact with the cap 18, and for thisreason I mount in coupling 15 a reciprocable hammer 19, said hammerbeing provided at its upper end with an enlarged portion,which restsupon the upper end of the tube 5, and thus forms a perfect guard toprevent any powder from passing into the tube. The up per end of hammer19 is normally held in line with or slightly below the bottom of pan 16,the arrangement being such that it will be movable within coupling 15when tube 5 is secured thereto.

The construction in the hand-lamp shown in Fig. 3 is identical with theconstruction already described, except that a bulb 21 is secured to thelower end of tube 5 and tube 7 is omitted. In this form the bulb 21forms the handle for the device, and the downward movement of piston 6is limited bya suitable shoulder 22.

In order to prevent the piston 6 from making a noise when it drops,asuitable cushionspring 24 may be placed in the lower end of the tube 5.

In operation piston 6 lies normally at the lower limit of its movementin tube 5 and hammer 19 also lies at the lower limit of its movement incoupling 15. A cap 18 is then placed between hammer 19 and the loweredge of bar 17 and a sufficient quantity of powder 23 placed in the panso as to cover bar 17 and come into contact with the cap 18. Bycompressing bulb 9 (or bulb 21 in the hand-lamp shown in Fig. 3) thepiston 6 will be propelled upward through'tube 5, so as to strike hammer19 and move said hammer upward with sufficient force to drive the cap 18against bar 17 and explode the same, so as'to ignite the charge ofpowder. As soon as the pressure'upon the bulb is released the piston 6and hammer 19 drop back to their normal positions and the lamp is readyto be reloaded.

I claim as my invention- 1. A flash-lamp consisting of a tubular body, apowderpan, lying substantially at right angles to the tubular bodysecured to one end of said body and provided with an openingcommunicating with the interior of the tubular body, a piston mounted insaid body and capable of, reciprocation therein, a cross-bar carried bythe powder-pan across its opening in position to allow the insertion ofa percussion-cap therebeneath, a guard arranged between the pan and theupper end of the tube, and means for compressing the air in the tubebehind the piston.

2. A flash lamp consisting of a tubular body, a powder-pan secured tothe upper end of the body and having an opening comm unicating with theinterior thereof, said powder-pan lying substantially at right angles tothe tube, a cross-bar carried by the powderpan in position to allow apercussion-cap to be inserted beneath it and in line with the opening, ahammer supported in the upper end of the tube between the cross-bar andthe upper end of the tube, a piston mounted in the tube beneath thehammer and adapted to be reciprocated within the tube, and means forcompressing the air in the tube behind the piston.

3. A flash-lamp consisting of a tubular body 5, a powder-pan 16detachably secured to the tubular body and having an opening in itsbottom in alinement with the bore of the body, a cross-bar extendingacross said opening, a hammer 19 mounted in alinement with the bore ofthe body and supported upon the upper end thereof beneath the openingand cross-bar, a piston 6 mounted in the body beneath the hammer, and acompressible airbulb 9 communicating with the interior of the body 5beneath the piston, all substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

In witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand and seal, atIndianapolis, Indiana, this 4th day of February, A. D. 1902.

ARCHIBALD DUTHIE.

Witnesses:

ARTHUR M. Hoon, FRANK A. FAHLE.

